The need to crush empty cans has become increasingly great in recent years. This applies especially to readily recyclable aluminum cans which do not normally decompose and therefore present a serious disposal problem. Often persons who may wish to save aluminum cans for recycling are deterred from doing so because of the bulkiness of empty cans and the significant labor that is required to crush the cans by stepping on them, for example. As a result, can crushers have been developed.
The prior art can crushers, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,732,804; 3,780,647 and 3,934,498, as well as British Pat. No. 1,156,139 have recognized the need to indent the side of the can to weaken it prior to crushing. Heretofore the means for indenting the side of the can have been quite complex, expensive and failure prone. Further, some can crushers obliterate the ends of the cans when crushing them. Such crushes are not suitable for areas where beverage cans have had a deposit paid on them. In such an event one end of the can typically receives a special mark or designation. If the can end is obliterated, the deposit might not be collectable.